Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania

Despite Head Teachers (HTs) and District Education Officers (DEOs) recognized as key actors in promoting Teacher Professional Development (TPD) in Tanzania, only a small portion of teachers have upgraded their professional qualifications, and there has been enormous variations of teachers upgrading...

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Main Authors: Agustino Silverius Mbunda, Ibrahim Nzima, Aurelia Kimaro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Social Sciences and Humanities Open
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125000956
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author Agustino Silverius Mbunda
Ibrahim Nzima
Aurelia Kimaro
author_facet Agustino Silverius Mbunda
Ibrahim Nzima
Aurelia Kimaro
author_sort Agustino Silverius Mbunda
collection DOAJ
description Despite Head Teachers (HTs) and District Education Officers (DEOs) recognized as key actors in promoting Teacher Professional Development (TPD) in Tanzania, only a small portion of teachers have upgraded their professional qualifications, and there has been enormous variations of teachers upgrading qualifications across all districts in Tanzania. This study examines impressive and dissuasive management practices done by HTs and DEOs in supporting TPD among public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative research approach and multiple-case design. Interviews and focus group discussions were used in data collection and analyzed thematically. The study involved 2 DEOs, 12 HTs and 36 teachers selected from two districts representing high and low status of upgraded teachers. The findings revealed that impressive practices supporting teachers in upgrading their qualifications are associated with approving study leave on time, giving teachers courage and sufficient time for TPD, and assisting teachers in searching for appropriate learning institutions and materials. Conversely, dissuasive practices are associated with using restrictive study leave criteria, apprehensive language, favoritism and being uncooperative to teachers. Furthermore, teachers’ shortage in most public schools, lack of TPD funds and teacher-related factors were key challenges faced by HTs and DEOs in supporting upgrading teachers. The study concludes that management practices done by HTs and DEOs have both negative and positive effects on TPD for upgrading teachers. While impressive management practices inspire TPD, dissuasive practices act as a barrier to TPD. Among other things, the study recommends training of HTs and DEOs on effective TPD management, and policy-makers should involve teacher representatives when developing policies for TPD in order to tape their ideas for creating conducive policies for teachers upgrading professional qualifications.
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spelling doaj-art-799fcdbc167d447bbe32e291e87464d52025-08-20T02:37:03ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110136810.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101368Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in TanzaniaAgustino Silverius Mbunda0Ibrahim Nzima1Aurelia Kimaro2Department of Education, College of Business Education, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Corresponding author.School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaSchool of Education, Department of Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaDespite Head Teachers (HTs) and District Education Officers (DEOs) recognized as key actors in promoting Teacher Professional Development (TPD) in Tanzania, only a small portion of teachers have upgraded their professional qualifications, and there has been enormous variations of teachers upgrading qualifications across all districts in Tanzania. This study examines impressive and dissuasive management practices done by HTs and DEOs in supporting TPD among public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative research approach and multiple-case design. Interviews and focus group discussions were used in data collection and analyzed thematically. The study involved 2 DEOs, 12 HTs and 36 teachers selected from two districts representing high and low status of upgraded teachers. The findings revealed that impressive practices supporting teachers in upgrading their qualifications are associated with approving study leave on time, giving teachers courage and sufficient time for TPD, and assisting teachers in searching for appropriate learning institutions and materials. Conversely, dissuasive practices are associated with using restrictive study leave criteria, apprehensive language, favoritism and being uncooperative to teachers. Furthermore, teachers’ shortage in most public schools, lack of TPD funds and teacher-related factors were key challenges faced by HTs and DEOs in supporting upgrading teachers. The study concludes that management practices done by HTs and DEOs have both negative and positive effects on TPD for upgrading teachers. While impressive management practices inspire TPD, dissuasive practices act as a barrier to TPD. Among other things, the study recommends training of HTs and DEOs on effective TPD management, and policy-makers should involve teacher representatives when developing policies for TPD in order to tape their ideas for creating conducive policies for teachers upgrading professional qualifications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125000956Teacher professional developmentPrimary school teachersUpgrading professional qualificationsManagement practicesHead teachersDistrict education officers
spellingShingle Agustino Silverius Mbunda
Ibrahim Nzima
Aurelia Kimaro
Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania
Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Teacher professional development
Primary school teachers
Upgrading professional qualifications
Management practices
Head teachers
District education officers
title Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania
title_full Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania
title_fullStr Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania
title_short Impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development. Experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in Tanzania
title_sort impressive and dissuasive management practices in teacher professional development experience from public primary school teachers upgrading professional qualifications in tanzania
topic Teacher professional development
Primary school teachers
Upgrading professional qualifications
Management practices
Head teachers
District education officers
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125000956
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